Owner Mike Feuerborn said Monday that Emerald Downs’ superstar filly Class Included is heading to Santa Anita for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships on November 2 & 3.
Emerald Downs’ 2012 Horse of the Meeting will be pre-nominated*at a cost of $20,000*to both the $2,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic and the $1,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.
“The plan is to go to the Breeders’ Cup,” Feuerborn said. “If you don’t take this shot now, when do you take it?”
In fact, Feuerborn has been busy making travel plans to Los Angeles while also plotting plans for his super filly.
“It’s really nerve-wracking but exciting,” he said.”
Feuerborn, trainer Jim Penney and assistant Kay Cooper haven’t decided which Breeders’ Cup race better suits their 4-year-old filly, and they won’t be forced to choose until final entries are drawn October 30.
Both the Ladies Classic and Filly & Mare Sprint are limited to 14 starters*seven qualifiers, the remainder selected by a panel of judges*although the Classic hasn’t overfilled in several years, meaning Class Included appears a good chance to make the race.
The Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic is run Friday, November 2. Although an overflow field isn’t expected, the 1-1/8 mile race could have as many as seven Grade I winners including My Miss Aurelia and the undefeated Awesome Feather. It would be a huge step up in class, but nine furlongs on dirt has been a great fit for Class Included*she has a 5-1-0 mark in six starts at the distance including each of her last three victories.
The Filly & Mare Sprint is run Saturday, November 3. Run at seven furlongs, the Filly & Mare Sprint would be a relatively softer race for Class Included, but she might be a slightly better horse around two turns.
A third possibility is the $150,000 Goldikova Stakes on Sunday, November 4. At one mile on turf, the Grade 2 Goldikova is the closing day feature at Santa Anita. But Feuerborn said the Breeders’ Cup, either the Ladies Classic or Filly & Mare Sprint, is the objective.
Class Included leaves Tuesday by van for Santa Anita, along with several other horses trained by Jim Penney.
Class Included would be the third Emerald Downs-based horse to compete in the Breeders’ Cup. Smarty Deb finished fifth in the 2007 Juvenile Fillies, and Gallant Son finished seventh in the 2008 Juvenile. Penney has had one previous Breeders’ Cup starter, Tortellini Roma, ninth in the 1987 Juvenile Fillies.
A Feuerborn homebred by Include-A Classic Life, Class Included has compiled a 10-6-0 record in 16 starts with earnings of $384,526. In addition to 2012 Horse of the Meeting, Class Included was voted 2012 Top Older Filly or Mare and 2011 Top 3-Year-Old Filly. She has four straight wins including three in a row at 1-1/8 miles: the Emerald Distaff at Emerald Downs and the Delta Colleen and Ballerina at Hastings Racecourse.
